Serendipity
by Jack4Sam
Summary: Imagine if Cal and Gillian had met before their sessions at the Pentagon...how would that history affect their new found friendship and partnership and potential love life. Callian, rated M.
1. Chapter 1- Reunited

Authors Note: Have always wanted to write a story exploring 'Callian' so here is my first attempt….reviews encouraged but please be gentle with me. I am hoping to continue this story for as long as possible to see where it can lead but only if people are enjoying it

Disclaimer: Do not own Lie to Me or any of the characters but am so grateful that they were created and that Fox brought them to life for us to enjoy! This story is only for entertainment purposes for my fellow fan-fictioners.

Chapter One- Reunited

Their eyes met across the crowded bar and in that instance they both knew. She smiled slightly as he slowly edged his way closer to where she was sat, squeezing past people slumped against the bar.

"Can I buy you another drink?" he asked as he slipped into the bar stool beside her.

"That would be great thanks" she replied, feeling slightly inebriated but loving the attention from this man that she felt an instant attraction towards.

They spent the next two hours drinking and talking, the chemistry between them increased by the second and they felt like they had known each other for years. She was studying her PHD in psychology and he was currently working on a new research topic that he didn't divulge too much about but assured her would change the way people looked at detecting deception. As time passed her head grew fuzzy and her body drew closer to his. She wasn't usually this flirtatious to men she had just met but the minute her eyes found his she had known there was something special between them. He flirted back and his English accent really turned her on. He wasn't the most attractive man in the bar but he was so confident and alluring that to her he was the most attractive man on the planet.

They ended up in a cab together and when it stopped outside her apartment she asked him up for coffee. He hesitated slightly but she ran her hand along his thigh and gave him the most persuasive smile he had ever seen, which obviously he couldn't resist. Once they were inside, all thoughts of coffee were forgotten and they began undressing each other as she guided him towards her bedroom. He pushed her up against the wall and drew his hand up along the inside of her thigh pushing her skirt higher and higher before his hand reached the already damp material of her knickers. The passion between them was intense and they were so open with each other about what they wanted and what they were feeling that it truly frightened him. He was used to sleeping with women and moving on but since he had spotted her sat alone at that bar he had known that she was the one for him. This thought almost caused him to stop and run away right there and then but he had come so far and she was so intoxicating that he couldn't stop. They spent hours enjoying each other and he learnt everything that she liked and he saw her from every angle, committing everything to memory. They eventually pulled away from each other and fell back into her bed feeling drained. Within minutes she had fallen asleep with the smallest, yet cutest, smile on her face. He drew the duvet up around her and watched as her breathing evened out and she curled up into herself.

As he watched her he saw it all pan out: how she would fall in love with him, how he would so easily fall in love with her but how he would hurt her because that's what he did. He didn't trust people and he didn't let anyone close to him emotionally but he knew that she would penetrate that wall and he wouldn't stop her. She was so beautiful both inside and out and he was already starting to fall for her but he was damaged goods, he had hurt too many women in the past and she deserved better. So he did what he thought was best for her and he got up quietly, got dressed and left her apartment without leaving any sign that he was ever there except the evidence of their night of passion along her body and the memories of the passion deep in her dreams as she slept.

**YEARS LATER**

Cal Lightman really hated being told what to do, which didn't bode well for him when he worked at the Pentagon. He had been informed that he had to go and see a psychologist, all because of what had happened to Jimmy Doyle's family and the interest Cal had taken in trying to find out what had really happened. He knew it was the Pentagon's attempt to keep him under their control, they were hoping this psychologist would find some evidence to show Dr Lightman was mentally unstable, which they would then be able to use to discredit him if he attempted to step out of line. So he was now on his way to Dr Foster's office for his first session, as a psychology graduate himself he knew what was going to happen in these sessions and he didn't like it but he had no choice.

He approached the door labelled 'Dr Gillian Foster' and he knocked loudly three times before letting himself in. From where he was standing he could see a woman standing in front of a filing cabinet with her back to him. She was wearing a tight white shirt and a black fitted skirt, he couldn't help but let his gaze wander her figure but when she turned and he looked into her eyes he couldn't hide his surprise.

"Gill…" is all he could manage as he continued to stand in her doorway staring at her in disbelief; it had been years since he had seen her.

"Cal….I….you….wow" was all she could manage as she stared at the man stood in her doorway, a ghost from her past that she wasn't sure she was happy to see.

It had been one of the most miserable and embarrassing mornings when she had woken up expecting to find him next to her sleeping and instead found her bed empty….an emptiness that had remained in her heart. At first she had been angry that he had slept with her and ran out of her life all in the space of a few hours but as the years went by the anger had dissipated and she just felt sadness. Now faced with the man himself, she could feel the anger slowly returning. She hadn't ever really thought about what she would do if she ever met him again.

"Gill, I'm so sorry…" he began but she cut him off deciding that she had a job to do and regardless of who was standing in front of her she should maintain her professionalism and not focus on what she couldn't change.

"Dr Lightman, if you would like to take a seat" she suggested as she waved her hand towards the sofa, moving towards her chair with her clipboard.

Cal stood there speechless as he watched her take her place and realised that she was just going to ignore their history. He couldn't say he blamed her, he had just run out on her without so much as a note. He had been extremely cowardly and had agonised for years over his actions and how he had probably lost the best woman he had ever met.

She cleared her throat and he was brought back to the present where she was watching him whilst gesturing towards the sofa. He walked slowly towards her and took a seat directly across from her, invading her personal space in an effort to get close to her once again. She pulled back and arched her eyebrow at him.

"Cal, this isn't the time or the place. Now shall we get started?" she stated as such a matter of fact that Cal decided to let it be….for now at least.

Several sessions passed and they still hadn't discussed their history but they had started to get closer and he had even seen her genuinely smile at him from time to time. They discussed what had happened in depth and she tried to get him to persuade himself that this was something he should drop for the sake of himself and his family. It had taken a while but it seemed that he realised what she was trying to help him achieve and he dropped his interest in finding out what had happened that night. Instead she had got him thinking about what he really wanted to be doing and how much he hated working for the Pentagon. She heard from other colleagues, several days after their last session, that Cal Lightman had quit his job and walked out. She felt slightly disappointed that he hadn't told her himself but she assumed he had his reasons and she guessed he owed her nothing really. She was deep in thought, relaxed back in her chair, bare feet up on her desk with his book in her lap when he decided to visit her. She was startled as he burst into her office without knocking.

"Dr Lightman, you could have knocked, I might have been with a patient" she said angrily as she looked at him stood smirking in her doorway.

"Now now love….it's Cal to you…always has been" he replied cheekily before plopping down on the sofa, "good book?" His smirk seemed to deepen, if that was even possible, at the thought of her spending her spare time reading up on his life and his achievements.

She ignored the smug look on his face and tried to read him to find out what was going through his head but he was the "lie guy" so she knew it was useless.

"So I heard you quit…" she murmured as she dropped her feet to the floor and slid the book onto her desk.

"Doesn't take long for something to get around this place does it?" he joked shifting towards her, tilting his head to the side as he studied her face.

"Why are you deflecting?" she asked her brow creasing with confusion.

He chuckled, "yes love, I quit but I really had wanted you to find out from me" he replied genuinely sorry that she had found out through the grapevine.

She looked at him and let his words wash over her, "you could have come straight here to update me when you told them, ever so politely I'm sure, where to shove their job" she said a small smirk playing on her lips.

"That is very true but to be honest I needed to clear my head before I came to you" he explained spreading his hands across his knees, his eyes focusing on the action rather than on her.

"Why?" she asked, genuinely interested in why he had needed that space before he came to her.

"Come to dinner with me and I'll explain everything?" he asked, she could hear the hope tingeing his words.

"When?" she questioned, biting her lip at the thought of spending time alone with him outside of a professional setting. Although she was still angry at how he had treated her years ago, she had never forgotten the spark between them and spending time with him in their sessions had only reminded her how much of a spark there really was.

"Tonight….if you're free?" he asked smiling nervously as if he really thought she might say no.

"Ok" she replied not knowing what else to say and surprisingly shocked at how nervous he appeared to be.

"Great, I'll see you at 8, you know Carlo's?" he asked as he stood up and straightened out his jacket.

"Of course, I'll see you there" she replied smiling at him as he made his way over to the door.

He reached for the door handle but turned towards her just before he opened it, "Oh and Gill….I really am sorry" he said to her before disappearing through the door. She sat staring at the door for a long time after he had left, not really sure she understood what had just happened or what he was really apologising for.


	2. Chapter 2- Dinner Conversation

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys; I really appreciate all the comments. Like I said, I'm not sure where I'm going with this but I feel slightly addicted to writing it now so we shall have to see what happens. Here's the next chapter, hope you like it. I am trying to build the story up slowly as I would like to write a few chapters.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I own nothing to do with LTM.

Chapter 2- Dinner Conversation

Gillian stood in her bedroom in front of her wardrobe agonising over what to wear, she couldn't really explain why what she wore to the dinner mattered but it did. So there she was pulling out outfit after outfit but getting nowhere. Then at the back of her wardrobe she found the perfect LBD which she had forgotten about. Pulling it out, she smiled as the outfit came together in her mind. She hung the dress on the wardrobe door and moved to the bathroom to shower. Whilst showering she spent her time thinking back to that night, when they had first met. The way his eyes had lingered on hers for a second too long, how he hadn't wasted time in coming over to buy her a drink and how they had spent hours and hours exploring each other's bodies. Every time she thought back to that night she wondered how he could have just left and then she got angry. Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she got out of the shower and started to get ready for an evening that was likely to change her life.

Half an hour later she pulled into the car park and spotted Cal leaning against his car waiting for her.

"Hey" she greeted him as she got out of the driver's seat and locked her car.

"Hey love" he greeted her, leaning towards her to place a kiss on her cheek but it landed near the corner of her mouth. He saw the surprise flash across her face but she said nothing, which he decided to take as a good sign. He let his hand fall onto the small of her back as he guided her towards the restaurants entrance. Once seated he finally took in her appearance, she was a woman who loved to make an effort but one that could get away with making very little. He had always thought she was a beautiful woman but tonight she exceeded his expectations. This woman was likely to be the death of him.

"So, how was the rest of your afternoon?" he asked as he titled his head to one side ensuring he had the perfect angle to read her reaction.

She smiled slightly, knowing exactly what he was playing at. "It was fine….a bit boring actually. Unfortunately my most interesting patient has discharged himself" she teased referring to their sessions.

"Oh what a selfish bastard" he retorted, laughing along with her as she giggled at his response. The banter between them came easily and that spark they had both felt on the night they first met years ago remained firm.

They ordered their food and a comfortable silence fell between them as they sipped the drinks that had just been placed in front of them. They spent some time exchanging small talk before Gillian decided that it was time to confront Cal about what had happened that night. They had danced around it for long enough and if they were going to move forward with their friendship she needed to know.

"Cal…" she began but he interrupted her by leaning across the table and placing his hand on hers.

"Gill, listen, before we get into that, I need to ask you something" he responded, his eyes begging her to trust him for now.

She silently answered him and squeezed his hand to let him know he should continue. She allowed her hand to remain in his as she waited patiently for him to ask his question, she was assuming this is what he had wanted the space for.

"As you know, I quit my job at the Pentagon and it was actually a decision I made because of something you suggested. I want to start my own company Gill, one where I am helping people find the truth and not helping the Government cover up their lies" he explained as he unconsciously stroked her hand.

"That's great Cal, as I said I think it is something you should pursue so I'm really happy that you are" she replied smiling slightly.

"That's not everything love. I can't do this all alone and so I need a partner and, well, I want it to be you" he remarked as the waiter approached their table with two plates of food. Cal waited until the waiter had left before he asked Gill what she was thinking.

"Hang on, you wanted me to wait to talk about our history because you wanted to ask me to join you in opening up a company?" she asked in disbelief.

"Pretty much yea, don't let you food go cold though love" he said as he shrugged his shoulders and dug into his plate of spaghetti bolognese.

She made no movement to begin eating the pasta that sat in front of her; instead she dragged her eyes up to his. She felt angry that he was attempting to manipulate her into working with him without even giving her some truthful answers. For a man who had built a career on detecting deception and finding out the truth, he was awful when it came to being truthful himself.

"I need to know why Cal" she said as she watched him avoiding her eye contact and focusing instead on his plate of food.

"I can't explain it Gill, it's in the past now, it doesn't matter. Can't we move on?" he asked before shovelling more food into his mouth. He briefly looked up and could see that Gillian was starting to get angrier as he continued to brush her questions aside. He had made a mistake by suggesting it wasn't relevant any more but he couldn't back peddle now.

"It doesn't matter?" she questioned, the anger becoming more and more evident in her voice and on her face. She couldn't believe that he actually thought how he had treated her no longer mattered. She had been devastated the morning she woke up to find him gone and now here he was insinuating that her feelings meant nothing. "Do you even care how I felt that morning? How I felt about being used by the one man I felt a true connection with?"

"Of course darling but you won't get the answers you want so why bother" he replied finally looking into her eyes. He could see she was on the verge of running and he needed her to stay. He pushed his plate aside and tried to take hold of her hand but she snatched it away.

"I cannot believe you aren't going to explain yourself, you think I'm not owed that at least?" her voice was getting higher in pitch and louder in volume; he winced at how upset she looked.

He just stared at her, not sure how he was going to get out of this one. What exactly was he meant to say to her, that he had known she was the one woman for him, the one woman he wanted to bear his soul to but that he had gotten scared and bolted? God only knows how cowardly that would sound; he couldn't let her see his weakness and he knew she wouldn't believe him…it sounded like a line to him so god knows what it would sound like to her. So he did what he had to do and he let her be angry towards him, in the hope that she would get over it soon.

She decided to take his silence as all the confirmation she needed that he wasn't going to give her the truth. She grabbed her bag from under the table, stood up and stalked her way out of the restaurant without a second glance at Cal.


	3. Chapter 3- An apology and an explanation

A/N: Thank you for all your continued support; writing this fic is giving me a break from the reality of life so I intend to write it for as long as possible and may even write my version of a few events that happened in the actual series. If you get bored just let me know haha. Next chapter may not be up for a while as I have quite a busy week ahead but I shall try my best.

Disclaimer: The usual stuff goes.

Chapter 3- An apology and an explanation

It had been 3 days and Gillian Foster still wouldn't answer her phone when Cal's name popped up on the screen. She pursed her lips together as her phone rang for the umpteenth time that day; she knew she was perhaps being a little harsh on him but he had really irritated her. It wasn't even that he didn't give her a truthful answer; it was that he seriously thought she didn't deserve one! Shaking her head, she pushed the ignore button and threw her phone into her bag before walking into the kitchen to grab some lunch.

Cal sighed as he pulled his phone away from his ear. He had royally screwed up and he needed to come up with a way to make it up to her. He slumped in the sofa and tried to think of a way he could show her how much she means to him without having to make himself sound like a coward. Another reason he hadn't wanted to admit his feelings was because they were both happily married (well most of the time) and he didn't want her to feel awkward around him if she did agree to work with him. The shrill ring tone of his phone dragged him out of his thoughts as he looked down at the screen hopeful.

"Lightman" he greeted the mysterious caller, slightly disappointed that Gillian's number hadn't been the one gracing the screen.

"Mr Lightman, this is Eric from Print & Go, we have your business cards ready" replied the gruff voice at the other end of the phone.

Cal stood silent for a second racking his brain before it clicked and he began to grin inanely. "That's great, I'll come and collect them now" he stated before disconnecting the call and grabbing his coat and keys.

Forty minutes later, he was on his way to Gillian's with the two prototype business cards and a huge bouquet of pink roses. He knew he had some grovelling to do and he just hoped she wouldn't slam the door in his face before he could say what he needed to say. He pulled his car to a stop in front of her drive, happy to see that her car was still there. Pulling one of the cards from the box and grabbing the roses, he made his way to her front door. He knocked three times and took a slight step back holding the roses in front of his face as he heard her heels clicking towards the door. He heard her intake of breath and almost wanted to drop the flowers so he could watch her eyes light up with surprise.

"Cal..?" she queried, her voice tinged with slight worry in case it wasn't him.

He pulled the roses back down, revealing his face and he smiled at her slightly, "May I come in love?" he asked gently, almost to the point of whispering.

She eyed him suspiciously but couldn't leave him standing there so she pulled the door open wider and walked back into the house. Cal took this as a sign that he was allowed in and followed her, pausing only to wipe his feet on the welcome mat. She was standing next to the sofa with an unreadable expression on her face. He moved closer to her and handed her the flowers, loving the way her eyes sparkled as she took the roses from him.

"Thanks, they're beautiful" she commented, moving into the kitchen to fill a vase with water so she could display them in the lounge.

"Least I could do darlin'" he replied dropping his eyes to the floor.

She could read his shame and knew that he had probably spent the last 3 days berating himself for his actions. She almost wanted to put him out of his misery but was intrigued to see what he had come to say, so instead she busied herself with the vase.

"Gill, I am truly sorry for how I acted the other night and I don't blame you for ignoring me but I can't bear it any longer" he stated, watching her fiddle with the flowers as she put them into the vase.

"I may have been a little cruel…" she began but he cut her off.

"No Gill, you weren't, I was. I realise you still want an answer and you definitely deserve one but I find it very hard to explain things and I'm not sure the explanation I can give you is good enough" he said, the honesty evident in his voice and on his face. He took a deep breath and moved closer to her before he continued. "That night was so….amazing and you were everything I could have dreamed of. But our connection was so strong and I got scared. I was a terrible person when I was younger Gill and I couldn't get you messed up in that, regardless of how much I wanted to spend my life with you. Every day since that morning, I have regretted my actions but as time passed it got harder to come and find you and then I met Zoe and, well, the rest is history."

Gillian Foster rarely found herself in situations where she had no words but this was definitely one of them. She had watched his face intently and listened to the peaks and falls in his voice and couldn't see or hear any markers to show he was lying to her. Whilst she wasn't an expert like him, she had spent hours and hours pouring over his book and she knew she had learnt quite a lot from it.

"I really truly am sorry and I will understand if you don't want anything else to do with me but before you decide I have something else for you" Cal carried on saying as he could see that she was still trying to process everything he had said. He moved closer again and their toes were literally touching as he pulled the card out of his pocket and handed it to her. She dragged her eyes away from his and looked down at the cream card in her hand. It was embossed with gold lettering and she gasped when she realised what it was. Across the front was her name and underneath were the words 'The Lightman Group' with Cal's home address and her mobile number on the back. She ran her finger along the writing and could feel the tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She looked up and knew that she didn't need to say anything for Cal to understand how touched she was by his words and the card.

Cal pulled her into a hug and felt her immediately tense as he stroked his hand along her spine, he always felt so comforted just being near her but being this close to her almost stopped his heart beating in its tracks. He could feel her pulling away from him and he readied himself for the worst.

"Cal, I am really grateful that you came here to set the record straight and I am sorry for ignoring you for 3 days but I needed time to think it all over" she explained as she stared at his face, realising that he thought she was about to reject his offer.

"It's ok love, I understand…but we can still be friends?" he questioned sadly.

"I hope so seeing as we are going to be partners…" she replied slowly, watching the shock spread across his face as her words registered in his mind. Again he pulled her into a hug, which turned into him lifting her off the ground and spinning her around.

"You have no idea how happy you just made me love…" and with that statement he pulled her over to the sofa where they sat and discussed all the finer details of what was about to be the most exciting journey of their lives.


	4. Chapter 4- Spouses

A/N: Thank you for your continued support. Here's the next chapter, I must admit that it isn't up to my usual standard because I find writing about Zoe and Alec difficult but I hope it isn't too bad. Next chapter will be much more interesting and Callian centred but needed to get this bit out of the way, plus it is quite fun to see how they interact differently in their marriages.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 4- Spouses

"You're late" Zoe grumbled as Cal sauntered through the front door after spending far too long round Gillian's discussing business plans.

"Sorry darlin', miss me" he replied smirking as he made his way over to his wife to greet her properly.

"You wish" she smirked back as she returned his kiss before grabbing her now half empty wine glass and sitting at the table, waiting patiently for her husband to tell her where he had been and why he had missed the dinner that they had planned earlier than usual so they could spend some much needed time together.

"Dinner?" he asked suddenly feeling ravenous.

"It's in the dog…" Zoe joked before pointing to the oven

"See I wouldn't be able to tell that was a lie if we had a dog" he replied grinning as he grabbed the plate of food from the oven and tucked in.

"So…you going to tell me what has had you too busy to phone your wife to let her know you wouldn't be home in time?" she questioned as he shovelled another forkful of food into his mouth.

"Well…I've decided to start my own business" he explained, knowing that the only way with Zoe was to get straight to the point.

"Your own business?" she repeated dumbfounded, of all the answers she was expecting that definitely hadn't been one of them.

"Yea in deception detection" he said before scraping the last crumbs off his plate and pushing it to one side. How he didn't suffer with indigestion at the speed he ate his food was beyond Zoe.

"Ok…" she replied, not really sure where this was heading but certain that she probably wasn't going to like it.

"Well since quitting the Pentagon I've been thinking about it and it makes sense. I don't want to work for anyone else, I want to do my work in my own way" he explained grinning at her.

"You have always had trouble following orders I guess. But how exactly are you going to fund this? And what about me and Emily? I thought you wanted us to spend more time together as a family?" she questioned hoping to highlight the fact that he clearly hadn't though this through.

"Me and Foster were discussing that today and we will both contribute as much as we can and will find the shortfall from sponsors etc. And I'm not being funny love but we're hardly spending more time together are we? You work all hours under the sun and Emily is hitting those years where she has her head buried in books and her ears plugged into some device pumping god knows what into her head" he replied, starting to get a little bit annoyed that Zoe hadn't just told him it was a great idea…..not that he had truly ever expected that.

"Who's Foster?" she enquired an eyebrow arched as if she was expecting to hate the answer, which of course Cal knew she would.

"The woman who I had my therapy sessions with at the Pentagon" he explained.

"A woman that I have never met is starting a business with you?" she questioned narrowing her eyes.

"Yea but it's not like that love. She's really good at what she does and well I think it will be a great partnership for the type of business I want" he said starting to hate the fact that he brought it up but knew he had to tell her. Although he decided it was wise to refrain from mentioning his and Foster's history from years ago.

"I just don't understand why you can't do some private consultation work" she stated, not happy about the fact that her husband was going to be working with another woman so closely.

"Because, love, I don't want to" he said hoping it would be enough.

"Oh right, forget me and Emily, just do whatever makes you happy" she snapped as she downed the rest of her wine.

"I don't know why you're being so irrational about this. It won't affect me, you and Emily. It will be good for us and it's something I have actually wanted to do for a long time" he said pushing his chair back, grabbing a beer from the fridge and moving into the lounge signalling that the conversation was over.

Zoe however followed him, not happy that he had had the last word "I am not being irrational but how can this be something you've wanted for so long when you've never mentioned it?"

"I don't tell you everything Zo" he sneered at her, realising too late that it hadn't been the smartest thing to say.

"Why does that not surprise me….it's a wonder you tell me anything at all" she replied storming off back into the kitchen.

Cal took a slug of his beer and decided to let her settle down before he went after her. He really hadn't wanted an argument tonight but it seems anything he did these days made her mad. He thought back to the afternoon he had spent with Gillian planning and he couldn't help but feel excited about it all. He could hear Zoe slamming about in the kitchen and decided he best go calm her down before she broke all the plates.

"Zo….can we just not argue?" he asked as he walked up to her and slid his arms round her waist. For a second he thought he had won her round but then she twisted round and pushed him away.

"No Cal….this time you can't just make it all go away because you're not comfortable. I am not happy that you've made such a huge decision without even speaking to me and you've asked a complete stranger to be your partner. What does that say about our marriage?!" she shouted storming out of the room, up the stairs and slamming the bedroom door.

Cal grabbed another beer from the fridge and a blanket from the cupboard in the hall before slumping on the sofa knowing he would be spending the night there as he definitely wouldn't be welcome in their bed.

MEANWHILE, THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN

Gillian was so pleased that Alec had taken her news so well, she had of course previously discussed Cal's offer with him but had at that time given the impression that she was not considering it a serious one. After Cal had left, having spent the majority of the afternoon sat at Gillian's kitchen table making business plans with her, she knew she would have to tell Alec that evening when he returned from work. Following her mother's sound advice from a long time ago that a way to a man's heart was through his stomach, she began to prepare Alec's favourite dinner in preparation for what could be a very difficult conversation.

Alec had commentated on the smell of the coq au vin bubbling away in the oven as soon as he entered the house. Making his way over to Gillian, he had wrapped his arms around her whilst asking what the special occasion was. Gillian had breathed a sigh of relief as she realised that Alec was in a good mood, which meant he must have had an excellent day at work.

"Can't a wife treat her husband every now and then" she asked as she grinned up at him.

"Of course she can but you must know that I could get used to such treatment" he replied teasing her.

The conversation over dinner had been dull, discussing work and such like and it wasn't until they were both sat down on the sofa with a glass of wine each that Gillian felt she could broach the subject.

"Alec, you know that job opportunity I told you about" she began keeping her eyes fixated on his face so she could see every expression and avoid any potential conflict that arose.

"The one with that guy Cal Lightman?" he asked sipping his wine as he ran his hand up her arm.

"Yes. Well I know I insinuated that I was unlikely to take him up on his offer but I spoke to him about it today in more detail and I have decided that I think it is a great opportunity for me to leave the Pentagon and get involved in something new and exciting" she explained, rather hurriedly, in the hope that they would not dwell on it.

Alec peered at her from over his wine glass, in what appeared to be an attempt to read her, not that he really knew what to look out for but he would certainly be able to see that she was genuinely excited about this. "Well if that's what you want to do babe then that's great"

She almost shuddered at the term of endearment he insisted on using but refrained. He knew she hated it when he called her "babe" but he never seemed to notice or care how often he did it. She smiled at him, glad that he wasn't in an argumentative mood and moved across to lean against him. Deciding not to discuss it in any further detail she steered the conversation away from her plans with Cal and on to safer ground, choosing instead to discuss his upcoming business deal. Alec seemed happy for the conversation to shift to a topic involving his work and didn't push Gillian for any more details. Whether that was because he didn't want to know about her plans or whether he didn't care was something Gillian pondered over as she pretended to listen to her husband drone on about his work yet again.


	5. Chapter 5- The Beginning

A/N: Loving all the comments, thanks for the support. Sorry it has taken a while to get this chapter up, been bogged down with exams. But I'm free now so the next couple of chapters will be up in pretty good time thanks for all of your patience. I really want to keep the spirit of Zoe and Cal's fragile relationship going particularly when it comes to Gillian. Also I wanted to bring Emily into the mix. Hope you all enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I own nothing.

* * *

Chapter 5- The Beginning

Over the course of the next few weeks, Cal and Gillian spent pretty much every waking hour with each other perfecting their business plan, meeting with potential sponsors and creating a database of potential clients. The plans were all coming together and today they had decided to set up their office so that they could begin taking on clients. At 8am sharp, Gillian Foster stood on the Lightman's front porch, waiting patiently for Cal to open the door.

"Hey love" he greeted her as he swung the door wide open to let her walk past.

"Hey" she replied as she brushed past him and moved into the living room.

"So are you ready to finally start doing some work?" he grinned at her as he closed the door and offered to take her coat.

"Of course, it's all very exciting" she replied handing over her coat and slipping her feet out of her heels. Cal smiled as he watched her shrink before his eyes.

"Coffee?" he offered as he walked into the kitchen, knowing full well that she would follow.

"Please" she replied as she leaned against the counter watching him move effortlessly around the kitchen pulling two mugs from the cabinet and filling them with freshly brewed coffee.

They sat for about 20 minutes having a brief catch up on their lives before deciding that it was time to crack on. Cal placed both the cups in the sink before leaving the kitchen indicating for Gillian to follow. They made their way down the hall to a door at the far end. Cal opened the door, flicked on the light switch and took a side step to allow Gillian to enter. She walked into the room and groaned, working within such a small space was never going to be easy but with how cluttered it was they really had no chance.

"Sorry love not had a chance to clean up" he admitted, looking a little guilty as he looked at the disdain on her face.

"I guess we better get that sorted before we can start any actual work" she teased as she rolled up her sleeves and moved further into the room.

An hour later, the room looked completely different. Cal's papers had been shoved into several boxes which were now neatly stacked in one corner. The desk had been de-cluttered and the furniture rearranged; they were now able to access the computer and had an area where they could sit and look through files. Gillian stood back to admire their (mostly her) handiwork and smiled over at Cal who couldn't help but marvel at how truly amazing this woman was.

"Now can we get to work?" he asked cheekily.

"Yes Cal" she smirked back as she moved over to the computer and began creating a new file on the hard drive where they could store all of their work.

* * *

Three hours later and they had created the basis of their website, sent out several emails to local companies that they thought would be interested in what they could offer and had spoken to several advertisement companies who were happy to help spread the word at a discounted rate on the promise of a free initial consultation if they ever needed it, which let's face it, in the world of advertisement would be a sure thing.

"Lunch?" Cal asked as his own stomach grumbled and Gillian couldn't help but giggle.

"I would love some" she replied getting to her feet to follow him downstairs.

As Cal moved around the kitchen once more, collecting the items needed to make them some sandwiches, his phone sprang to life. Cal answered it as he juggled bread, butter and ham, he suddenly froze and his face contorted into a look of anguish; one that Gillian now associated with Cal's concern for Emily.

"What's the matter?" she asked as he put down the phone and started putting everything back in its rightful place.

"It's Em, she got into a fight at school and they want me to go and pick her up" he explained, grabbing his car keys from the hook and walking towards the door. Gillian grabbed her shoes and coat and followed him out to the car, closing the front door behind her. Cal smiled over at her, grateful that she hadn't interrogated him and instead cared enough for him to help him with this.

Twenty minutes later, Gillian was sat in the back of the car with an upset Emily snuggled up to her as Cal drove them back home. Emily had only known Gillian a few weeks but had taken an instant liking to the woman, which now showed through how Emily was seeking comfort from her. Gillian was whispering soothing words to Emily and although Cal couldn't hear everything she was saying, the scene made his heart melt. He knew Gillian was trying to start a family with her husband and he honestly couldn't think of a better woman to be a mother.

Once inside the house, Gillian asked Cal for his first aid box and set to work at fixing up the little girls grazed knees. It turned out Emily hadn't so much been in a fight but had stood up to one of the boys in her class who was bullying her friend. The school appeared to take a very cut throat approach to when two kids got into a scuffle and had therefore sent both Emily and the little boy home. Cal had been extremely angry when the headmaster explained why he was sending Emily home, when as far as Cal could see she hadn't actually done anything wrong. But before he could bite the man's head off, Gillian had stepped in, thanked him for calling Cal and pulled her friend away so they could get his little girl home and happy again. Looking back, Cal realised how much he needed Gillian in his life, especially when he was about to start a business that was bound to be frowned upon by certain groups and his anger wasn't going to help in those situations. He watched as Gill tended to Emily's knees and then pulled her up suggesting they bake some cookies to cheer her up. Cal laughed as he followed the girls into the kitchen; they certainly weren't going to get anymore work done today.

* * *

An hour later, the kitchen surfaces were covered in a thin layer of flour and the cookies were baking in the oven. Emily had a massive smile on her face as she was running around making handprints in all the flour patches. Cal was sat at the kitchen island with a cup of coffee watching his daughter enjoying her afternoon off. Suddenly the front door slammed and Cal inwardly groaned knowing it was Zoe and she was not going to be happy with these turn of events.

"Well, well isn't this all very cosy" Zoe remarked as she walked through the kitchen door and spotted Gillian, Emily and Cal in the middle of a baking session.

Cal stood up, walked towards Zoe and pulled her into the lounge in order to avoid Gillian and Emily witnessing the exchange. Zoe allowed herself to be dragged over to the sofas but wasn't about to back down entirely.

"Having fun?" she asked menacingly.

"Zoe, don't start. Emily got into a scuffle at school whilst me and Gillian were doing some work. I had to go pick her up…" he began to explain

"Oh and I guess she just had to come along for the ride, rather than go home to her own husband" she spat back, angry at how he couldn't see what was wrong with how he was with Gillian.

"Well I guess she could have gone home yes but instead she helped me cheer Emily up…" he explained rolling his eyes.

"Because you can't do that alone?" she hissed.

"Well of course I can….I'm not really sure what the problem is Zo. You walked in on us making cookies not having sex" he replied, his voice heightening in decibels as he got angrier.

It was at that moment, that Gillian cleared her throat to indicate that she was in the room making her way over to her coat and bag. Cal noticed the blush on her cheeks suggesting she had heard everything, especially his last statement. He would have smirked had it not been such a dire situation, he watched as she walked over to the door, slipped on her shoes and mumbled her goodbyes.

"Oh please, don't leave on my account. It's only my house, my husband and my daughter" Zoe said as she smiled sweetly at Gillian.

"I think it's for the best" Gillian replied as she pulled open the door and left.

"Happy now?" Cal asked as he got up and stormed into the kitchen. Walking over to the fridge, he thought about how it was going to be a long night filled with arguments and restlessness, he might as well grab a few beers to help him through it.

Zoe sat on the sofa and contemplated what had just happened; she wasn't really sure why Gillian being in Cal's life upset her but the fact was it did. That woman came across as all nice and innocent but Zoe didn't trust her or perhaps it was that she didn't trust her husband not to fall for her. Either way, Zoe didn't like it and it really did bring out the worst in her.


End file.
